Berberis plant named ‘AMERA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Berberis  plant named ‘AMERA’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; leaves that are initially yellow green in color with orange red-colored margins becoming darker yellow green in color with development; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Berberis thunbergii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AMERA’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Berberis Plant Named ‘ARLENE’

Applicant: Timothy D. Wood

Ser. No. 16/350,428

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Berberis plant, commonly referred to as Barberry, botanically known as Berberis thunbergii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘AMERA’.

The new Berberis plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new unique Berberis plants with unique plant form and attractive leaves.

The new Berberis plant originated from an open-pollination in 2005 of Berberis thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’, not patented, as the female, or seed parent and an unknown selection of Berberis thunbergii as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Berberis plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor during the summer of 2011 as a single plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Berberis plant by softwood cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since the summer of 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Berberis plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Berberis have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘AMERA’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘AMERA’ as a new and distinct Berberis plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding         plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Leaves that are initially yellow green in color with orange         red-colored margins becoming darker yellow green in color with         development.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Berberis can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Rose Glow’. Plants of the new Berberis differ primarily from plants of ‘Rose Glow’ in leaf color as plants of ‘Rose Glow’ have pink and burgundy bi-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Berberis can be compared to plants of Berberis thunbergii ‘ARLENE’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/350,428. Plants of the new Berberis are more compact and more mounding than and not as outwardly spreading as plants of ‘ARLENE’. In addition, plants of the new Berberis have solid-colored developed leaves whereas plants of ‘ARLENE’ have variegated leaves.

Plants of the new Berberis can also be compared to plants of the Berberis thunbergii, ‘Koren’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,818. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Berberis differ primarily from plants of ‘Koren’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Berberis are more compact than plants of         ‘Koren’.     -   2. Plants of the new Berberis and ‘Koren’ differ in developing         leaf color as plants of the new Berberis have leaves that are         initially yellow green in color with orange red-colored margins         whereas plants of ‘Koren’ have leaves that do not have an orange         red-colored margins.     -   3. Plants of the new Berberis and ‘Koren’ differ in developed         leaf color as plants of the new Berberis have lighter yellow         green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Koren’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Berberis plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Berberis plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘AMERA’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘AMERA’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in a polythelene-covered greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices which closely approximate commercial Berberis production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants were about two years old when the photographs and detailed description were taken. In the following detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Berberis thunbergii ‘AMERA’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Berberis thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Berberis             thunbergii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 20 days at             temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; fibrous; typically             white to brown in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium in density to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; relatively             compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant             habit; rapid growth rate and vigorous growth habit; freely             branching habit with about 30 to 40 lateral branches             developing per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 38.5 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 18.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.         -   Aspect.—About 45° from main stem axis.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to N200A.         -   Thorns.—Quantity: One thorn developing at each node. Length:             About 5 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Color, developing stems:             Close to 4D. Color, developed stems: Close to N199A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate or whorled; simple.         -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.25 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate to spatulate.         -   Apex.—Acute to obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N144B;             margin, close to 35B. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 145B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to 144B; venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 144C; venation, close to 144C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Flowers arranged in terminal             umbellate fascicles of three to five flowers; flowers face             outwardly to drooping; freely flowering habit with about 300             flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Barberry flower             during the spring in Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 8 mm by 10 mm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Rounded, globose. Color: Close to 4B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: About eleven in about two whorls.             Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Obovate.             Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 4B. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 4B; color does not change with             development.         -   Sepals.—To date, sepal development has not been observed on             plants of the new Berberis.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Aspect: Downward. Strength: Low, flexible. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 47A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About six per             flower. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close             to 137B. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Globular.             Anther color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 3 mm. Style length: About 3 mm. Style             color: Close to 157B. Stigma color: Close to 157B. Ovary             color: Close to 157B. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Berberis. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Barberry have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −30° C. to about 38° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Berberis have not been     observed to be resistant pathogens and pests common to Berberis     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Berberis plant named ‘AMERA’ as illustrated and described. 